consciousness and all that, Hunter said. So, yeah, it was my first one that Ive experienced. It was a

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana spent the entire season perfecting its defence. On Saturday, it produced the biggest payoff for the Pacers in nearly a decade. Roy Hibberts block of Carmelo Anthonys dunk attempt midway through the fourth quarter spurred an 11-2 run that rallied the Pacers to a 106-99 victory in Game 6 of their second-round series, sending them into their first Eastern Conference final since 2004. New York native Lance Stephenson scored nine points in the run, finishing with a playoff career-high 25. "Thats why they pay me the big bucks this summer, so I have to protect the paint," said Hibbert, who signed a $58 million contract last summer. "If all else fails, meaning the offence, I have to protect the paint." With players from both teams standing on the court as the final seconds ticked off and Pacers fans roaring in appreciation, the sellout crowd wasted little time breaking into chants of "Beat The Heat!" For Indiana, it sets up a post-season rematch with the defending NBA champs, the team that eliminated them last May after the Pacers had taken a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven semifinals. The Heat wound up winning Game 4 at Indiana and followed that with two more wins as Danny Granger struggled with a knee injury. Indiana used the lessons from that series as motivation to improve this season and wound up beating the Heat twice at home before losing the third game of the season series at Miami. The Pacers will return to South Florida for Game 1 on Wednesday night. With Granger missing all but five games this season because of the lingering knee injury, the Pacers put an even greater emphasis on playing defence and it showed. Indiana led the league in rebounding, defensive field goal percentage and defensive 3-point percentage while finishing second in points allowed per game during the regular season. It was no different in the playoffs, as the Knicks found out. New York had another subpar shooting night Saturday, making just 40 per cent of its shots, and again wound up on the wrong side of a 43-36 rebounding discrepancy. In the paint, New York was outscored 52-20, and Anthony, who finished with 39 points, scored just four points in the final 12 minutes when he went 2 of 7 from the field. Iman Shumpert added 19 points, hitting five 3-pointers, and J.R. Smith scored 15. Nobody else was in double figures. The combination, as it had been in the previous three losses to Indiana, produced the same frustrating result. "They have a hell of a defence. They hold down the paint. They do a great job, do a hell of a job of controlling the paint, closing it down, making it tough for guys," Anthony said. "Youve got to give them guys credit, especially when they got a chance to set. Roy Hibbert gets to sit in the paint, causes havoc." Its not just that. The biggest question coming into Saturdays game was whether starting point guard George Hill would play. He took part in the teams morning shootaround, was cleared by the team doctors and wound up returning two days after missing Game 5 with a concussion. His return gave the Pacers a big boost. Hill finished with just 12 points on 2-of-10 shooting but had five rebounds and four assists, and kept the Pacers composed enough to commit only nine turnovers -- 10 fewer than Thursday nights loss in New York. The results showed up everywhere on the floor. Paul George had 23 points, five rebounds and four assists. David West added 17 points, five rebounds and four assists, and Hibbert finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks, none bigger than the stuff on Anthony that changed the game. Stephenson had 10 rebounds and three assists in his best post-season game ever. The reason: He wanted to avoid a trip home. "I just didnt want to go back to New York and play Game 7," Stephenson said. "Just get it done with now and Id do whatever it takes to do that today. It showed tonight." The New York native made sure of it. After George grabbed the rebound off of Hibberts block, Stephenson took a pass from West and scored on a layup to tie the score at 92 with 4:51 left in the game. Stephenson followed that with a steal and drove in for a layup, drawing a foul and completing a three-point play. After grabbing another rebound and making two more free throws, West tipped in a miss and Stephenson closed the decisive spurt with another layup. Suddenly, the Pacers led 101-94 with 1:53 to go. New York never got another chance to tie the score or take the lead again despite making a far more typical 13 of 30 from 3-point range. "Its tough to go out this way," coach Mike Woodson said. "I didnt make it happen for us and thats whats disappointing." The Pacers have a far different goal now as they get ready to face LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Miami. "Were not satisfied with where were at," coach Frank Vogel said. "We feel like theres no ceiling on this team this year." Notes: New York failed to become the ninth team to rally from a 3-1 deficit. ... Indianapolis 500 pole winner Ed Carpenter made the short trip from the track to Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where he is a regular attendee. ... Colts coach Chuck Pagano also attended the game. ... The Knicks were 18 of 18 from the free throw line. Adnan Januzaj Jersey . 8 Iowa State on Saturday, sending the Cyclones to their third consecutive loss. The Longhorns (14-4, 3-2) got their biggest win of the season with their third in the row in the Big 12. Romelu Lukaku Jersey . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. http://www.belgiumsoccerpro.com/Jan-Vertonghen-Belgium-Jersey/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Leander Dendoncker Belgium Jersey . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Mousa Dembele Belgium Jersey . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Torii Hunter Jr. said he expects to play in No. 18 Notre Dames game against No. 12 Michigan State?on Saturday after the Fighting Irish receiver sustained a concussion in Week 1.Im fairly confident, because [Tuesday] I did everything that they would allow me to do, and I pushed myself [Tuesday], Hunter said Wednesday. A couple one-on-ones, 7-on-7s, 11-on-11s. I went out there and did as much as I could and just tried to be smart about falling on the ground and keeping my head up, blocking plays and things like that.So, as the week goes on, Ill definitely try to push myself more and see what I can do, and Im confident Ill be ready come Saturday.Hunter, who said he was medically cleared this past Sunday, sustained the concussion on a helmet-to-helmet hit in the end zone late in the third quarter of Notre Dames 50-47 double-overtime loss Sept. 4 at Texas.It was my first one that Ive told them about, or that theyve known about, that Ive actually lost consciousness and all that, Hunter said. So, yeah, it was my first one that Ive experienced. It was a real experience, but Im glad to be back.The play was not flagged and nnot even reviewed, despite new rules this season that allow targeting penalties to be called retroactively.dddddddddddd The absence of such consequences stoked anger from Irish coach Brian Kelly and his players in the aftermath of the game.Hunter said Wednesday that he wasnt sure if the hit warranted a penalty, but he did say the play deserved to be reviewed. The junior and captain also said Texas safeties DeShon Elliott and Kevin Vaccaro messaged him on Twitter to apologize for the hit. Elliott had delivered the direct hit, while Vaccaro was in on the play as well.Hunter said he remembered everything leading up to the hit but the hit itself, adding that he recalled going down steps into the locker room after being helped off the field.I remember catching the ball, having it in my hands, Hunter said. As soon as I got hit, I dont remember any of that, and I dont remember being on the ground.The son of the former MLB outfielder by the same name, Hunter has 39 career catches for 465 yards and four touchdowns. ' ' '